FTZs as Catalysts of Shared Prosperity: Colombian Stories Inspiring Global Change

This article was submitted for the October 2025 "FTZs" Issue of the WTCA Meridian e-newsletter. 

Penned by Andrés Ibarra, Executive Vice President of Araújo Ibarra International Business Consultants, on how FTZs benefit local communities and the new "Free Zones Go Global" initiative with WTCA.

At Araújo Ibarra, we believe that Free Trade Zones (FTZs) are not only engines of trade and investment but also powerful platforms for building inclusive, sustainable communities. This vision is at the heart of Free Zones Go Global, our joint initiative with WTCA, which aims to highlight how FTZs worldwide are evolving to create shared value for both businesses and society. 

Through this collaboration, we are documenting and showcasing the transformative stories of FTZs across Colombia and beyond — zones that are redefining competitiveness by aligning it with social progress and environmental responsibility. 

It is in this context that we are pleased to share the experiences of Zona Franca La Candelaria and Zona Franca de Bogotá, two leaders in sustainable and inclusive development whose initiatives illustrate the true potential of FTZs as drivers of prosperity for companies, communities, and regions alike. 

Zona Franca La Candelaria

Image: Team Popular Entrepreneurship

Through its social foundation, Zona Franca La Candelaria has implemented a comprehensive strategy aimed at improving quality of life, strengthening inclusion, and promoting sustainable development. Given its geographic proximity, the FTZ has focused its efforts on the neighboring community of Membrillal, which directly borders the industrial park. Some key initiatives include:

• Inclusive Employment & Entrepreneurship: Training residents in trades demanded by FTZ companies and supporting women-led businesses such as Casa de Cuidadoras: Te Cuidamos con Amor, a caregiving cooperative that now operates as a formally registered community business.
• Childhood Nutrition & Family Support: The Comedor Infantil Membrillal provides weekly breakfasts to 100 children, while programs like Feliz Navidad Membrillal and Cine al barrio strengthen family bonds and improve children’s learning opportunities.
• Youth Development & Community Safety: With initiatives such as SIVICA (ethics and crime prevention training with the National Police) and Bomberitos Comunitarios (youth emergency preparedness with the Fire Department), children and adolescents are given safe alternatives and leadership opportunities.
• Environmental Stewardship: Siembra Membrillal distributes fruit trees to families, enhancing food security and reducing heat stress. In partnership with Grupo Nutresa, plastic waste is recycled into playgrounds for children.

These efforts have earned Zona Franca La Candelaria multiple recognitions, including the Carbon Neutral certification, making it the first FTZ in Colombia to achieve this distinction, and the “Empresa Inspiradora” award from ANDI, USAID, and Portafolio. It also received the Recognition for Best Practices in Sustainable Development, granted by Global Compact Colombia (a UN initiative) in association with the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce, for fostering popular entrepreneurship.

With these initiatives, more than 2,000 residents of Membrillal — a community of approximately 7,000 people — have directly benefited, meaning that nearly one-third of its population has been positively impacted.

Images: Recognition for “Best Practices in Sustainable Development” (UN – 2030 Agenda SDGs) and the “Empresa Inspiradora” award from ANDI, USAID, and Portafolio.

Zona Franca de Bogotá

Image: Training and capacity-building sessions with community leaders as part of the Bogotá FTZ’s governance and territorial collaboration program.

For more than three decades, the Bogotá FTZ, operated by the ZFB Group, has proven that business growth can advance hand in hand with social inclusion and environmental sustainability. This vision is embodied in Francamente Responsable, a program launched in 2009 that integrates sustainability into every dimension of management. Its impact spans four pillars:

• Human Capital Development: Through the Unifranca alliance, more than 16,800 people have received training, with one-third coming from local communities. The Employment Portal and the Seedbed Program have opened formal job opportunities to nearly 10,000 individuals, helping young professionals secure their first jobs.
• Strengthening the Business Ecosystem: With 82% of its companies classified as SMEs, the Zone has supported over 130 micro and small enterprises through the Zona de Enlace program, integrating them as qualified suppliers. More than 900 participants from 113 companies have also been trained in labor standards, human rights, and DEI.
• Territorial Collaboration & Governance: Platforms like the Calle 13 Corporation have improved infrastructure, security, and mobility through active dialogue with local and national authorities. Meanwhile, over 120 community leaders have strengthened their management capacities, reinforcing the Zone’s role as a partner in inclusive governance.
• Environmental Transition: Since 2022, the Bogotá FTZ has been transitioning into an Eco-Industrial Park (EIP), with 67% of EIP model indicators already achieved. Its solid waste management program has reached a recovery rate of 63%. In 2024, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) recognized the Zone’s progress by selecting it for technical assistance.

This leadership has positioned the Bogotá FTZ as a benchmark for Latin America and beyond. Recognitions include the Best Free Zone for Training and Human Talent Development and Best Free Zone in the Americas (Financial Times, 2019) and the Social Infrastructure Award from UNIDO in 2025.

Image: Calle 13 Corporation.

These Colombian examples show how FTZs can transcend their role as platforms for trade and investment to become engines of sustainable and inclusive development. By aligning competitiveness with community empowerment and environmental responsibility, they create shared value for businesses and society alike — an approach that can inspire FTZs worldwide.